Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Female of the Species, by Mindy McGinnis

56 reviews

swhence's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Rape

lrn22's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Be aware that this book has pretty much all the trigger warnings. It is a really hard read but also beautiful and haunting and will linger in my head for a long time to come. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Animal death, Murder, Violence, Animal cruelty, Child death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, Addiction, Death, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

janneke2302's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this book. It was very different from what I expected going into it. It was a very unique read, I've definitely not read anything like this before

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Death, Murder, and Sexual assault

amber_lyn's review

dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

Parts of this book felt like you were navigating a foggy dream.  It would skip over certain events and it would jump time. I think this book did a really great job of encapsulating the intensity of teenage emotion. Of first live. I really enjoyed the female friendships in here. I will say there is a bit of ‘not like other girls’ trope on here. There is heavy commentary on sexual assault. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault

emilyvelle's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual violence

pitschi's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

camsara99's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Murder

jnligdas's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, and Sexual assault

isabellecollum's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Injury/injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Body horror, Torture, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Minor: Pedophilia

salon3ly's review

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

tw// discussion of sexual harassment and rape culture

In a country where state and sexual violence is constantly perpetuated, justice is rare and retribution even rarer. Female vengeance against the sex offender is rarely offered, and in media there is a certain notion that female vengeance is a reactionary action towards being faced with sexual harassment, that female rage only exists on the basis of male violation. There is a lot to be said about prison abolition, justice, and vengeance, but that is not what I want to discuss.

The Female of the Species explores the aforementioned stereotype, and in some ways I'm not convinced if it broke out of it. It's usage of Alex as the protagonist of the story, mixed in with the opinions of her complicated boyfriend, and eventual friend Claire is clever, but would it be bad to say that I'm tired of

Spoiler

  authors killing off their protagonists for some shock factor or misguided idea of peace. Would it have been more revolutionary for Alex to live and find love despite her wrath that wasn't societally acceptable? Then again, is The Female of the Species revolutionary? The answer for me is a resolute no.

The Female of the Species makes some great commentary on rape culture and its pervasiveness. But, I'm not sure if this is the book we need right now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault